EDIT: Thanks to pwykersotz, I've improved a bit of one scene. :3

If you want me to, I can commit Hara-Kiri. I really can.

I'm terribly sorry Remordere wasn't updated last weekend, but things have been hectic, and GASP, here it comes…. We're running out of elbow room. Basically, we started Remordere a long time before I started posting it, so we had a bunch of room to leisurely post chapters at a descent pace – but now we're actually to the point where what you see if where we are. And once school started, we haven't been roleplaying near as much, so now we'll only come up with a few pages of material each week. So I'm sorry to say the posts will be slowing down.

In other news… -Ahem-

! ATTENION ALL READERS !

ChibiSamiSala and I have started an art contest on DeviantArt ( www. Deviantart. Com ), and the grand prize involves a written bit of Remordere (Or Thicker than Blood) that will never be posted! Kind of like a limited edition thing. :D (-cough- They're lemons, if you want to know…)

Go to my DeviantArt page, and check out my latest journal for details.

Zilleniose. Deviantart. Com  Yes, that's the link

If you don't have a Deviantart account but you still want to participate, send me a PM via my account.

Now, time for the show!

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Chapter Fourteen

Hesitance

"Jazz?"

Tucker arched his eyebrow, looking between them as Sam slowly lifted her hands up to her mouth in realization, about to smash her head into the wall for not connecting the dots before. "You two know each other?"

Jazz took in a shaky breath, before shaking her head slowly in disbelief, her hand ever so slightly reaching out to him. "N-No...you died...You died ten years ago..." A few seconds passed her cheeks flushed pink, eyes watering before she gave in and fell to her knees, her hands covering her face. No... This was a trick! Her little brother was dead; he wasn't going to come back. "Y-You're not Danny..." She hiccupped, voice filled with denial.

Sam quietly went to her knees beside her, rubbing her back in small circles. "God Jazz...I'm sorry we didn't tell you in the first place...I forgot that he told me that the Fentons…." Her words caught in her throat before she looked away, words just as quiet. "But that's really him."

Slowly she lifted her head, tears still rolling down her cheeks as she looked towards Danny hesitantly - though his expression seemed worse than hers. He seemed almost... afraid of her, his blue eyes wide with fright as he stayed right where he was, completely frozen. He looked just like him... just as she remembered... but how could it really be her little brother? She remembered the explosion, her parents screaming and crying for them both, then the horrifying reality as she soon realized Danny was gone. Years passed, and he was presumed dead, and yet... here he was. "Danny..." She whispered, leaning forward. "Why?"

He turned his head, as if ashamed that their eyes met, completely silent.

"Uh Sam..." Tucker said quietly, taking his friends shoulders. "Maybe we should leave them be..."

"Danny, answer me!" She pleaded, completely unaware of Sam and Tucker now. "You've been alive all this time? Why didn't you tell us!"

"Jazz, this isn't as simple as you can think!" Sam said earnestly, swatting Tucker away, who bit back a hurt expression. "You can't blame him."

"And why not? Why doesn't someone tell me then?" Jazz quickly stood to her feet, her shoulders shaking as she continued to bite back tears. "My brother had been dead for ten years! My family went through Hell because of it! You can't just... expect me to believe that he's been alive all this time!"

Danny continued to fall silent, eyes closed as his head tilted down shamefully.

"Danny, say something!" Jazz pleaded. "Please..."

"Jazz, please...Calm down..." Sam tried to calm her, standing as well with a bit of a stumble, her foot asleep still from when she had been on the couch. "We can't explain anything when you're like this."

"Sam..." Tucker warned slowly, not wanting to get to into the argument.

"No." Danny said firmly, startling his sister as he looked up, determined blue eyes meeting the two girls'. "She has a right to know. What I've done... I have no excuse."

"Then why?" Jazz repeated, hand clenching slightly as she held her tears back. "Why didn't you tell us you were alive...?"

"Danny..." Sam said slowly, lifting her eyes to his worriedly, before she let Jazz go, quietly stepping back Where Tucker took her hand supportively.

"...because I wasn't." He replied defiantly.

"What are you talking about...?" She replied, shaking her head. "The accident didn't..."

Tucker quietly tugged on her arm, leading her out of the room, despite how she wanted to stay in there and see how this was to be resolved, she closed her eyes and gave in, following Tucker up stairs. "Go take a shower Sam, get dressed. They need to deal with this between each other..."

She nodded, lowering her eyes as she noticed that Tucker was limping, doing his best to cover it up. Climbing the stairs though made it obvious. "Tucker? Are you alright?"

He flushed, nodding quickly. "I'm fine Sam, just that little accident when I was breaking you out... I fixed it though."

"Uh huh." She said slowly, biting her bottom lip as she stopped him, placing her hands on his shoulders and making him sit down on the steps. "Let me see." She said simply, her expression stern.

Tucker flushed a brilliant Red, looking to the side nervously as he tried to speak. "Uh... I don't know Sam..." He lightly brushed a nervous hand over his thigh, pointing out the area that had been gouged out with the chunk of knife.

She bit her lip, before pulling him back up onto his feet. "Bathroom. Put on your robe."

She ordered, going to get the first aid kit as he watched her go with bright cheeks, before slowly making his way into the bathroom, mind awhirl with horribly perverted images as he slowly changed into his robe, tugging at his boxers as he looked down at the nasty gash he had on his leg. He had bandaged it messily, but wasn't the best at any type of medical thing. Anything that said medical gave him the creeps, especially hospitals. The wound though, was getting swollen, and he could see traces of green that oozed from it.

Lovely.

"Tucker, are you decent?" Sam asked from the other side of the door, trying to focus on something other then Danny and Jazz downstairs. The African American boy looked over at himself in the mirror, thinking that he almost looked like a big blue monster with the massive robe on. Even though he was wearing a Tee-shirt and boxers beneath, he was sure that Sam wanted him to wear the extra layer for a good reason. He shifted his socked feet, before opening the door, looking at her flatly. "I feel like that girl off Charlie's Chocolate Factory."

"Hey, I just don't want to see anything I don't want to." She said simply, stepping inside as she rummaged through the first aid kit. "I mean, when you ran around naked in the first grade was mentally scarring enough."

He pouted, "You'll never let me live that down, will you?" He said unhappily, sitting on the toilet as he exposed the gash in his leg, feeling a little happy at her worried gasp.

"Jesus Tucker! Why didn't you tell me before?" She pressed her fingers at the wound, squeezing out puss and blood.

Oh EW. That defiantly wasn't sexy.

"OW OW OW SAM!" Tucker flailed, whining pathetically as she took peroxide and poured it over the wound, giving a short scream as it bubbled up and poured down his leg painfully, tears welling at his eyes as Sam rolled her own. "Come on tucker, its just peroxide. It won't kill you."

"BUT SAMMMM!" He whimpered, thinking to himself that this romantic situation had completely gone the opposite direction. He bit his bottom lip, balling his fists as the bubbling burnt at his skin, and he wanted nothing more then to wash it away. Sam just gave him a look, before rinsing out the bubbles with new peroxide, before draining the wound again; wiping it all up with a towel that Tucker was going to burn as soon as he could. Finally she seemed happy with her work, and covered the wound with Neosporin, and bandaged it up, sighing as she put away the kit. "Well that will teach you..."

"You are an evil evil woman Sammy." Tucker said slowly, leaning away from her, looking horribly feminine tucked up in that fluffy blue robe with his knees to his chest.

"Thanks." She said dryly, standing up and washed her hands quickly. "But...don't call me Sammy ok?" She winced, her thoughts wandering as she scrubbed her hands. She wondered how it was going down the-- Her thoughts were cut short when Danny's voice filtered up the stair case, His voice strained, and she felt her heart drop. "I'll be right back Tucker!" She said quickly, heading for the stairs to make sure everything was alright.

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"What the Hell are you talking about...?" She gave him an incredulous look. "The accident didn't..."

"It did kill me." He said quickly, as if unsure how to word his response. "The accident in the lab did kill me... but only partially..."

"What are you talking about, Danny?" She repeated, starting to think her little brother lost part of his sanity over the past ten years – and she wasn't far off, when all's said and done…

"The accident left me half ghost." He paused for a moment, watching as Jazz gave him an even more confused, and surprised look. "I know you don't understand, and…. I really don't either. But you have to believe me, I didn't come home because…. Of a good reason."

"And what reason is that?" She asked with a hurt tone. "What reason could possibly keep you from the one home, the people that truly love you more than anything in the world? What could keep you from our family?"

"Because I didn't remember our family."

She blinked, watching as Danny's gaze slowly shifted to his feet, as if ashamed. "I didn't remember. There was this ghost, and…." He paused, looking up at her hesitantly. "He made me think I was someone I wasn't."

"You seem to remember fine now…."

"I've been this way for a few days."

"Then why – "

"Jazz!" He stopped her, giving her an incredibly painful look. "I was a completely different person for ten years… you have no idea what I've done, who I became… I could never face you, or mom and dad…."

"But you're my brother. You will always be my brother." She shook her head, trying her best to smile as she wiped her drying tears. "No matter what happens, you're still Danny."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew the kind of afterlife I've been living since the accident." He replied quietly, his voice cracking as he looked away.

"Then why don't you tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't accept me…"

"DANNY!"

"I'm Phantom!" Danny screamed, so loud that anyone within the walls of the same house could have easily heard. "I'm the one who's been killing people for ten years, I'm the one who put Sam's parents in the hospital, Hell I'm the one who kidnapped her!" His eyes flashed a bright emerald green as he took a step closer to his sister, who watched him with wide eyes, unsure how to react. "You can't tell me that you'll welcome a murderer back home with open arms! I almost killed mom and dad! I almost killed you when I caved Casper High in!"

Jazz stood there, completely silent, watching him as if he grew a third arm, her expression showing disbelief. At first, his words seemed to string together, almost incoherent as her mind reeled with every gesture, every look he gave her. To be able to think that after all these years, her brother has been alive was almost inconceivable – let alone his proclaim to be the horror or Amity Park. Slowly she began to shake her head, watching the ever changing expression of the raven-haired teen.

"You're lying." She spoke quietly, chest heaving just slightly at the possibility that she was standing face to face with the Ghost Prince. But that was impossible… "You're not dead. You're standing right here in front of me… I mean, you don't have any traits a ghost would have…." She began to ramble, more or less trying to convince herself that Danny was trying to play a trick on her.

"Really?" He gave her a hard look, brows furrowing as he did his best to keep his resolve. "Then what do you call this?" He reached for the edge of his shirt and lift it up, revealing the tangled web of bandages that adorned his chest and ribs, dark red staining a few portions of the white fabric… but most was covered in a slightly glowing green substance.

Jazz's eyes widened, her heart nearly stopping as she gulped, barely able to find her voice. "Ectoplasm….."

"So you do know." Danny replied, before letting his shirt back down slowly. "And how do you think I can bleed ectoplasm?"

"But there was blood, too!" She answered in a rushed tone, shaking her head once more. "This has to be a joke, you can't-"

"I told you, I'm only half ghost." He stated firmly, before his gaze slowly left hers, a pained expression washing over his features. "I'd…. rather not show you….but I'm able to physically change my appearance…. My hair turns white, my eyes glow green…. They even do that sometimes while I'm still human!"

"Danny, this is impossible. No one can be half dead." She gave him a determined look, though it was obvious she was fighting her own logic.

"God, Jazz…. Please don't make me show you…." Danny's voice strained, his breath shaking. He was terrified… if logic was the only thing holding her back, what would she do if she saw it was all true? She would leave, frightened… like everyone else…

"Show me what? That you're half ghost? That you're Phantom?" Her blue eyes stared him down with strengthening resolve. "Danny, I don't know what's happened to you over these years, but you have to believe me-"

"Jazz!" He cut her off harshly, his eyes flashing a bright emerald light, causing his sister to jump and nearly freeze. "This….this is only hurting me more…."

"You have to be joking…" She gave him a nervous laugh.

"How else would I be here with Sam? How else could I explain that I simply disappeared all those years ago? How else could I possibly have ectoplasm in my bloodstream?" He paused, noticing that his voice began to rise, and slowly calmed himself with a shaky breath. "Look…I guess you don't have to believe me. But you wanted to know where I've been all these years…. Well, I gave you my answer."

Her bout of silence made the raven-haired teen slowly look up, pain washing over his features. It seemed that he finally got through to her…. Because fear reflected clearly in her eyes, her arms and legs shaking as their gazes met.

Her brother…. He beloved little brother…. Was Phantom. But how could she desert him? She couldn't run away… though part of her mind screamed for her to, she couldn't.

He gave her a weak glare, feeling like she had shot him the moment she gave him that look. "I knew it. You talk about this unconditional love you have for me? That mom and dad have? No. The moment I tell you who I really am, you … you do exactly what everyone else does!"

"Danny…" Her voice was shaking intensely.

"No. You'll never accept me, they'll never accept me! You see why I never told you?" His voice rose again, eyes watering just slightly. "Because I thought it would be better if you didn't remember me as a monster!"

"Danny?" Sam lifted her voice quietly, her violet eyes wide as she came in to the room almost timidly, biting her lip at the harsh tone he was using. And then she saw the tears in his eyes, and she couldn't help but feel horrible for him. To have to deal with this...

"Danny, will you listen to me!" Jazz shot back, reaching forward and roughly grabbing his shoulders, his blue eyes wide as he stared at her, almost at an even eyelevel with her. She took in a shaky breath, finally finding the resolve she had been looking for.

"I told you I didn't care what you've done... all I care about..." Tears rolled down her cheeks, before she pulled the raven-haired boy into a tight hug, her voice tiny and weak. "Is you...Danny...I'm just happy you're here..."

Sam bit her lip, quietly stepping out of the room again, leaning against the wall next to the door way as she crossed her arms, looking up at the ceiling. Danny defiantly was lucky, to have a family that loved him this much... to just forgive him on the spot. She smiled slightly.

Danny blinked, before he slowly brought his arms around to return the embrace, closing his eyes as he let out slow breath, relaxing a bit at her words. "How can you say that...?" He whispered. "After all I've done..."

"Because I love you. It's what big sisters are supposed to do." She smiled and brushed her hand through his hair, though her gestures were still shaky. Truthfully, she was a little frightened… but she knew she loved him more than she could ever be scared.

Gently he rested his head against her shoulder, closing his eyes as a small smile appeared across his features, tears still lining his baby blue eyes. He could barely believe it… "Thank you….. thank you so much…. Jazz…."

Jazz pulled away from him after a moment, blinking. "That reminds me..." She said with a blank look, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. "If you really are Phantom... and you kidnapped Sam..." She blinked again, looking more and more confused. "Why are you hiding out with her? At Tucker's house?"

"Uh...well...that's a bit of a story there..." He gave his sister a nervous look. "But I'm sure whoever's eavesdropping would be able to help fill you in. Right, Sam?" He asked without turning around to meet the peering violet eyes behind the stairs.

She flushed, rubbing her eyes a bit as she stepped out, grinning nervously. "Sorry...I just didn't want to interrupt..."

"Don't worry... it's no problem." Danny turned to meet her gaze, a somewhat sad smile upon his features. "But... I'm sure if Jazz had your input about this she would probably be more likely to believe me..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jazz raised an eyebrow, as she leaned back and crossed her arms.

"Uh..." Danny's gaze fell downwards, looking away with a mixture of embarrassment and shame.

She looked between the two siblings with a half smile, lifting her hands to try and help Danny a little. "You have to admit Jazz, all this... Its pretty unbelievable... like something out of a sci-fi thriller."

"Something like that." The raven-haired boy grimaced.

"Um...how about I start at the beginning..." She said slowly, shoving Danny in the shoulder as she moved to the couch, biting her lip. "How all of this started I guess, at least, since after me and Danny met."

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Sigh, yes…. Kind of a short chapter. But this was the closest stopping point available, unless you all wanted to wait another week. xD Anyway…

I just want to give a heads up to anyone who lives near Knoxville, Tennesse – because ChibiSamiSala and I will be at the Kajonk-a-Con October 13 – 15! Well, we'll actually only be there Saturday. But still, we'll be there. ;D Let us know if you wanna meet us! We'll give you our autographs, which will double in price once we die, leaving you with a grand total of nothing! JUBILATIONS! Haha, yeah. ANYway…

Hopefully the next chapter will be up by next weekend, but as I said, we're running out of backup material, so now we're running on real-time material. Ciao, y'all!

Zoey